Carton



NOVo 29, 1938. l w- S WASSELL 2,138,364

CARTON Filed Jan'. 2s, 195'/ 2 sheets-sheet 2 W1TNEssEs- I INVENTOR;

l d@ f l Y fi-umm s mssu, I BY n @nog ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 -UNeITEo STATES y s i 2,138,354'

3PA-Tsar rice This invention relates to cartons; and it has reference more particularly to cartons suitable for the packaging of perishable products, especially bakery products including pastries such as pies or cakes. Y

My invention has for one of its aims the provision of a carton for individual products 4of the kind referred to, which is strong and sturdy and therefore capable of veffectively resisting deforma- 1o tion incident to rough handling; which lends itsel-f to ready stacking with assurance against crushing of the contents; and which, withal, is simple in construction and inexpensively produceable bydie stamping from cardboard or by mold pressing from paper pulp or the like, and in other ways from sheet or plastic material.

In connection with a carton having the foregoing attributes, it is another aim of my invention to provide for free circulation of air through the carton and about the contents so as to preclude the formation of mold or fungus and to prevent the same from becoming soggy and therefore unpalatable.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following description of the attached drawings, whereof Fig. I is a perspective view of a carton conveniently embodying my invention in one form.

Fig. II is a cross sectional view, taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a view corresponding to Fig. II of an alternative embodiment of my invention.

Figs. IV and V are views corresponding to Figs. I and II of another alternative embodiment of my invention.

With more detailed reference first to Figs. I and II of these illustrations, I designates the main or holder component of my improved carton, which in this instance is of hollow square configuration, and rounded at the corners. The component I may be either die stamped from cardboard or similar sheet material, or it may be press molded to correspondingly thin cross section from paper pulp or the like, or it may be otherwise formed v4,5 and assembled as may be found desirable or convenient in practice. As shown, the component I has a perimetric flange 2 pendant from its top, which latter is recessed as at 3 with incidental formation of a border margin 4 of even width all around. Centrally of the recess 3, the com- 4' In order that the shape of the product P may be ranged feet 8 which reach to the levelof the 5555 lower edge of the pendant peripheral ilange 2 of the component Iall as clearly shown in Fig. II. Fora purpose presently explained, the peripheral angeof the carton is upwardly notched at intervals as at 9,'and the depression apertured 16;`

as at Il and Il, respectively, at the bottom and side. Y

After placement of theproduct P in the depression 5,-a protective coveringY I2 of tightly stretched transparent paper or the like permeable 15 by air is applied over the top of the carton. This protective covering I2 may be secured by turn-, ing its edge margins downwardly into lapping relation with the sides of the carton as at I3 and pasting them thereto. 20

Due to being constructed as described, my improved carton is obviously strong and sturdy against deformation incident to rough handling, and, moreover, lends itself readily to stacking without yielding to crushing, since the lower edge 25 of the peripheral flange of the superjacent carton will be effectively supported upon the top edge margin 4 with the feet at the bottom of the receptacle depression 5 of such superjacent carton resting on the protective covering I2. By virtue 30 of the notches 9 in the peripheral flange 2, the apertures I9 and Il in the bottom 6 and side wall l of the receptacle depression 5 and the intervals between the feet 8 of said depression, air is permitted to freely enter the said depression, 35 passing through interstices formed by irregularlties in the pie crust and circulating around and over the packed product by way of the perimetric channel formed by the depression 3 and some of it seeping through the covering I2. Obviously due to the described construction of the carton, such circulation can take place regardless of stacking and the product thereby prevented from becoming soggy and unpalatable.

The modiiied carton shown in Fig. III is identical with that of Figs. I and II, except in that the receptacle 5a is separately formed and provided with a flange I5 around its top which rests on the margin around a circular central opening I6 50 in the recess 3a at the top of the component I a. In order to preclude the necessity for repetitive description, all other features of the modified carton, which have their counterparts in the first described embodiment, are identified by the same A9 and vice versa.

reference numerals distinguished in each instance by addition of the letter a.

The main component Ib` of the alternative form of carton pictured in Figs. IV and V is integrally formed throughout like that of the rst described embodiment, but given a circular configuration. Other differences to be noted are that the pendant flange 2b, instead of being notched as before, is provided with a circumferential series of circular apertures 9b, and that the transparent protective coating covering |2b is held in place by a continuous retaining band or hoop I1 force-fitted about the component Ib with the downwardly-turned lapping margin of said covering effectively held between said band or hoop and the carton Wall.

v As shown, the band or hoop l'l is restrained from downward displacement by inwardly directed tabs I8 which are integrally formed therewith and which overlap the peripheral margin 4b at the top of the component lb. Here again I have employed the same reference numerals, which were previously used, to designate those features having their counterparts in Figs. I and II, but with addition of the letter b in each instance for the purpose of ready distinction.

If desired, the perimetric flanges 2 and 2a, respectively, of the cartons of Figs. I, II, and of Fig. III, may be provided with circular openings like those of Figs. IV and V, in lieu of the notches Also if desired a continuous band similar to that of Figs. IV and V may be employed to secure the protective coverings` l2 and |2a in Figs. I and II, and in Fig. III.

The above modifications are of course to be regarded as representative of other possible variations within the scope of the appended claims.

It is also to be understood that the cartons may be made with straight sides in excess of four, as well as round.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A carton of hollow formation with a pendant apertured ange surrounding a dished portion for reception of a bakery product or the like, and

with a iiush protective top covering of air-pervious sheet material spanning the dished portion, said dished portion having circumferentially spaced foot projections reaching down from its bottom to the plane of the bottom of the perimetric flange and provided with openings in its side and bottom so that when the carton is placed upon another carton, the foot projections rest upon the covering of the latter, with provision for air circulation about the packaged product via the openings in the perimetric ange, the intervals between the feet of said dished portionA and the openings of the latter.

2. A carton accordingto claim 1, wherein a per-` imetric recess surrounds the top edge of the dished portion and forms a channel to facilitate circulation of air around and over the packaged product.

3. A carton according to claim l, wherein the dished portion is separate from an cuter portion WILLIAM S. WASSELL. 

